Organization pushes for the closure of Stardust Racers after rider’s death
By Matt Leonard, Gail Paschall-Brown
Click here for updates on this story
ORLANDO, Florida (WESH) — A nonprofit organization is pushing for the closure of the Epic Universe rollercoaster Stardust Racers after a guest died on the ride in September 2025.
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was found unresponsive after riding the coaster on Sept. 17 before being declared dead later that evening at a local hospital. Now, the nonprofit organization Juneteenth Project Coalition is petitioning for the coaster — which only opened in May 2025, alongside the rest of the new Epic Universe theme park — to be shut down.
“It’s a death trap. It is a death trap, and I’m a disabled American veteran. I have been in a wheelchair,” Tina Wilson, the organization’s founder, said. “But for them to reopen the ride, it’s just a slap in the face.”
Universal Orlando reopened the ride on Saturday, Oct. 4, a little more than two weeks after Rodriguez Zavala’s death. The reopening was met by disappointment and frustration from the victim’s family and attorney Ben Crump.
“Once we get a fair amount of signatures, if I have to get my bullhorn and go and stand out in front of Universal Studios until they shut that ride down, I will because it’s not fair,” Wilson said.
In its own investigation into the ride, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said, “Following the incident, Universal contacted the department as required by Florida Law and voluntarily invited the department to observe all testing and inspections, which exceeded state requirements.”
“Did you lose a family member on that ride? That’s what I’m asking the CEO and the Department of Agriculture, did you lose a family member?” Wilson said. “How would you feel if two weeks after that individual passed and it’s business as usual?”
President and COO of Universal Orlando Karen Irwin said that internal findings to date confirm that the ride systems functioned as intended and that equipment was intact at the ride’s start, throughout the duration of the ride, and upon the ride vehicle’s return to the station.
“So, you could not wait, you’re going to make money anyway. You’re Universal, you’re a big corporation. It’s very insensitive. Shut down the ride until the investigation and the family has some kind of closure. It’s only been two weeks,” Wilson said.
Wilson and the Juneteenth Project Coalition previously petitioned and protested the Orlando FreeFall drop tower after 14-year-old Tyre Sampson fell to his death from the ICON Park ride in 2022.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.